I know I’m a little behind on my horror film viewing. I recently had a chance to finally catch Halloween Kills over the past week, and I found it to be a very enjoyable chapter in the struggle between Laurie Strode and the man with the Bill Shatner mask, Michael Myers. Now, I realize the feelings about this film are mixed. Some people love it, and some people hate it. I took a week to ponder how I thought about the movie, and while I normally don’t comment on horror movies, I may start.

Before I sat down to watch Halloween Kills, I had to cleanse my mind of all the negative things I’d heard about the movie. After watching the extended cut, I don’t understand all the hate. No, it isn’t a particularly solid film, but it acts as the bridge between the first reboot film and this year’s Halloween Ends. I went into the film with an open mind, and when I thought about the plot and how it fits into the narrative; I was surprised about how much I did enjoy watching it. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t highbrow entertainment, but it wasn’t a dud either.

In its entirety, the latest entry into the lore is what it is. When you walk into a Halloween movie, you know what to expect, and there’s no difference here. The movie is a giant mirror for how fear and revenge can push normal people in a small town over the edge. Seeing the town give in to its rage and anger is like watching the nightly news. Normal people become parts of a larger evil in the name of the common good. The catalysts for the town becoming a mob is a nice throwback to the original John Carpenter Halloween movie with the inclusion of Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) and original cast members Charles Cyphers (Leigh Brackett), Kyle Richards (Lindsey), Nancy Stephens (Marion), and a great turn from Will Patton as Officer Hawkins.

If you look too hard at the plot and script, yeah, it’s pretty thin. However, it does what it needs to do. The film needed to bridge the gap between Laurie and Michael facing off after decades and their inevitable final conflict. I didn’t think too much about the story, but it is a fun ride that will leave you wanting more once the credits roll.

Overall, I rate Halloween Kills three out of five tombstones. It isn’t perfect, but worth the time to watch if you love the franchise or slasher films.

Catch you all later,

Brent